The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-03
TIKI BRILLIANT EISSIEE
A GRAY BEARDED SAILOR TELLS
or HI, IXPLvl1S
In When He Joined
walkers Army OF filibusters-
His Brutality to Natives.

New YORK, April IA gray
bearded sailor, who has seen much
adventure in South America, told
World reporter yesterday about ks
sane's career in Nicaragua. I'm the
summer of 1856" he said, II was one
of William Walkers army Of fill
busters in Nicaragua, and was sta
toned at Granada. A man who gave
his name as William Rogers came
down on a steamer for New York
and Joined Walkers little army,
He was made assistant quartermaster
or assistant commissary, l forget
which, but he did not occupy the
comparatively humble position long.
He was smart as a steel trap and
was well educated. lie had not
been long in the army before he told
Walker that he was William ks
sane, the noted iorger. The fill
buster didn't turn from him on that
account; on the contrary, he was
glad to have such a bright, energetic,
pushing man as Kissane about him.
1t soon became known 70 dozen or
more of us that Rogers was kissanc,
the forger, but his identity was not
generally known throughout the
army.
I'm the fall Of 1876 Walker as
sumed the government of Nicaragua,
and organized his Cabinet. The
members OF it were all natives mere
figure heads. The real Cabinet Min
listers were Walkers shrewd men,
whom he appointed nominally as
assistants TO the Ministers. He made
Rogers Assistant Secretary oil the Ha-
cienda, in which his duties were those
of Secretary of the Treasury. He
was a great help to Walker, and
without him | think tho tilibuster' q
scheme would have collapsed much
sooner What sort of looking man
was he2 About 5 feet 10 inches high,
slenderly built, but active and wiry
as a cat, He was fine horseman.
His complexion was q medium be-
tween light and dark, and his hair
was dark brcwn. He wore little il
any beard, and should say his age
in 1856 was something between q
and 30 years. There was nothing
particularly noticeable in his features
save that he had very active, alert
expression;
when Walker marched to Oriva:
he left Granada in charge OF Gen
Charles Il. Henningsen and Rogers
or, Kissane. Henningsen was {
brave, honorable man, and made wal
in an open and above board way
but Rogers great achievements con
sisted in sudden sallies on tho neigh
boring haciendas. He would cap.
ture the wives and daughters Of
prominent Nicaraguans and hold
them as hostages to be exchanged
for so much money or provisions
Many Of the women captured thus
complaiwed of the most dreadful
treatment at his hands. Rogers al
ways avoided hard fighting. One,
Gen. Henningsen tried 70 have him
take charge Of our outpost, but
Rogers quickly declared that he was
Assistant Secretary ofthe Hacienda
not military man, aud refused tC
20. When Walker was finally cap
tured at Orivas by Commander
Davies, of the st. Mary's, Rogers
was with him. He was released il
San Francisco. The last | hear(
from him was about, >, sssfI GA 1865
when an old X4lilibusior told mt
that Rogers was living somewhere il
Southern California IN fine style
having made piles of money. No.
body in the State knew he was ks
sane, and | presume his identity has
been unguessed to this day